Australian Customs

We are sailing from Singapore to Sydney next year, stopping at various Asian ports as well as Darwin, Port Douglas & Gladstone. My question is this... Do you go through the same Customs checks when you dock in Sydney, or is it done in Darwin (or any, or all of the other ports of call)? Will it slow us down when visiting the Aussie ports and whats to stop people taking duty free off the ship and posting it home before they arrive in Sydney?

We are sailing from Singapore to Sydney next year, stopping at various Asian ports as well as Darwin, Port Douglas & Gladstone. My question is this... Do you go through the same Customs checks when you dock in Sydney, or is it done in Darwin (or any, or all of the other ports of call)? Will it slow us down when visiting the Aussie ports and whats to stop people taking duty free off the ship and posting it home before they arrive in Sydney?

Delete, read the question wrong.

My experience has been at your disembarkation port.

My experience has been at your disembarkation port.

Agreed. Customs is at the disembarkation. Immigration will be before the first Australian port.

Your Duty Free will be sent to your cabin on the last night of the cruise so you cannot send it home. If you buy Duty Free let's say wine at a port of call Security will take it and add to your Duty Free purchases. All other Duty Free is to be declared on disembarkation don't get caught out because if you do and go over an allowance they can make you pay duty on all of your Duty Free purchases.

Your Duty Free will be sent to your cabin on the last night of the cruise so you cannot send it home. If you buy Duty Free let's say wine at a port of call Security will take it and add to your Duty Free purchases. All other Duty Free is to be declared on disembarkation don't get caught out because if you do and go over an allowance they can make you pay duty on all of your Duty Free purchases.

Duty Free does not just include the alcohol that gets delivered to your room. I am not a smoker but I do know of some smokers that are seriously seeing if they can find a loop hole and use Australia post to send it to themselves from some of the Aussie ports. I do not know if it is feasible but It did get me wondering, If there is no customs declarations until you reach Sydney, what is to stop people of trying to get stuff off the ship early?

Duty Free does not just include the alcohol that gets delivered to your room. I am not a smoker but I do know of some smokers that are seriously seeing if they can find a loop hole and use Australia post to send it to themselves from some of the Aussie ports. I do not know if it is feasible but It did get me wondering, If there is no customs declarations until you reach Sydney, what is to stop people of trying to get stuff off the ship early?

if anyone is going to post their duty free smokes home all they have to do is buy some pre paid 3kg satchels and when they get to the aussie ports put the satchels in the red letter box

Except that they may not get the duty free until the night before they reach Sydney. Perfume and cigarettes may be different to alcohol but they still may hold it.

I don't think the OP is talking about someone posting duty free alcohol home. It wouldn't be cost effective and the bottles could break unless they were packed very, very carefully. There are all sorts of goods that can be bought overseas that would be classified as duty free. I am thinking of jewellery, cigarettes, and possibly camera gear, although with breakable items the packaging would have to be good.

you can buy duty free smokes cheap from Indonesia and once you get back to Australian ports just post them home to yourself in a red 3kg satchel but you have to be discreet carrying them off the ship,in the different ports

Buying cigarettes from Indonesia that are non duty free may be easier and not breaking any rules.

Buying cigarettes from Indonesia that are non duty free may be easier and not breaking any rules.

If you buy cigarettes in Indonesia to bring home they are "goods you are bringing into Australia". That is the question on the form. Not "goods you have bought overseas duty free". Not that the value of the cigarettes poses a problem, but the fact that people are only allowed to bring in 25 cigarettes. I can see why the 'postage' option could appeal to some people.

The only reason I used alcohol was the fact that it was 25 cigs and you have a $900 general goods limit per person, so why post a $600 watch home and trust Australia Post with it. I have created a scenario and asked ABF for an answer.

If you buy cigarettes in Indonesia to bring home they are "goods you are bringing into Australia". That is the question on the form. Not "goods you have bought overseas duty free". Not that the value of the cigarettes poses a problem, but the fact that people are only allowed to bring in 25 cigarettes. I can see why the 'postage' option could appeal to some people.

So they are still bringing them into Australia even if they post them, I cannot see how that changes things.

It shouldn't. By posting them home from an Australian port, the person is trying to by-pass the import restriction. That is the whole point of the original question.

They may have customs standing by in Darwin as well, I suppose they would get what they deserve if they get caught smuggling in contraband.

It shouldn't. By posting them home from an Australian port, the person is trying to by-pass the import restriction. That is the whole point of the original question.

Spot on. Paying duty elsewhere in one country doesn't change what another country requires.

We have had custom's officials on the dock at a few stops. So there maybe some risk.

On a port visit we were taking a birthday gift to our granddaughter in Brisbane and we were stopped and made to explain, especially the origin of the gift as there was some timber on it (bought from Target at home).

Luckily the tags were still on it. They often have sniffer dogs there. Maybe some disembarking passengers as well.

Also the most surprising port where our bags were checked when going ashore was at Geraldton. No doubt they were looking for something as it only happened once in 5 visits.

Also earlier this year, bags checked in Hobart. Probably mainly looking for food, especially fruit.

It can happen at any port at any time.

Well I have received an answer from Immigration/ABF - the stock standard answer that is. If the first port of call is Darwin you will be required to complete a IPC (Inwards Passenger Card) declaring your Health and your purchases etc. You then clear Customs once more when you get off in Sydney clearing your baggage. There has been a few changes with Passenger Cards so it will be interesting to see if this really happens.

From another source all packages are now scanned (prohibited items) for air freight and if cigs and alcohol are found they can be passed to ABF to try and determine the place of purchase - how I hear you ask I don't know, I guess our cheap import cigs are not available for purchase in Darwin.

I do know ABF officers are available to attend at all major ports (and some not so major) to clear not only cruise ships but other shipping including yachts.

Another reason why people are better off giving up the smokes.